Think Gandhi had no fear?

November 22, 2011

Think again.

fearlessness is big. so is this image.

This is a picture my friend, Tina Shah, snapped at the Mahatma Gandhi’s Ashram in Gujurat, India. Tina is an entrepreneur and a perpetual traveler, and she sent the image to me as a shout out to what we’re doing with Fear.less. I was grateful when I saw it and thought, “That’s exactly what I need.” Because sometimes I need a good reminder for why I do the things I do. Don’t you?

It reminded me that one of the most powerful and influential leaders of our time, someone who literally changed the fate of billions of people, addressed the very same topic at the core of all of our lives: Fear. I can’t imagine how much fear Gandhi had to sit with to face the very real, very worldly challenges he had to. We’re all affected by it, but it’s images like this that show us that not only is it our responsibility to meet fear with grace, anger, *insert action*, but however we do it, we must meet it. And we can.

This image echoes the reason I started Fear.less in the first place, because I wanted to be that reminder -for myself and others – that no matter what, no matter how insurmountable challenges seem, that we can meet them with our innate courage and wisdom. We all have it, and even just a morsel will do.

More quotes from Gandhi:

Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.

Since Tina inspired this post, here’s the fear.less issue where she drops wisdom about fear and why it’s time to stop trying to “find” your passion. (click April 2011)

This is magnificent. So often, we feel as if we are the only ones who are afraid. We take for granted the idea that great historical figures felt nothing but confidence and certainty, and never allowed the “negative voices” to deter them from their path. What a wonderful reminder – thanks to Gandhi – that fear is universal. Our challenge is to leave that fear behind us and walk into the future fear.less